Stories from Jerusalem’s artistic heart

Late Blossoms, a new collection of linked short stories, is the culmination of nearly two decades of creative work, research, and inspiration rooted in Jerusalem’s cultural and artistic heart. Its author, Merav Fima, has long been immersed in literature.

“I have wanted to be a writer ever since I read Anne of Green Gables in primary school, and have been writing fiction and poetry ever since,” she told The AJN.

“The idea for this collection started taking shape after I joined a walking tour of Jerusalem following in the footsteps of poetesses, and visited the historical homes of Rachel Bluwstein-Sela, Zelda Schneurson-Mishkovsky, Leah Goldberg, and Else Lasker-Schüler, all the while reciting their extraordinary verses and seeing with my own eyes some of the cityscapes that had inspired their poetry,” she recalled.

Ticho House, in particular, became central to Fima’s world. A cultural landmark in Jerusalem, Ticho House has hosted artists, writers, and musicians for generations.

“Ticho House gained personal significance for me as a site of cultural activity in Jerusalem when I started working as an editor at The Israel Museum,” she explained. “I was so moved by its charm that I chose it as the venue for my wedding in July 2013.”